HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - genetic differences may explain why some on AIs have worse joint point than others

AlaskaAngel · 05-30-2010, 09:37 AM

Becky I am sorry that you too have bc scattered among your relatives.

In case it is at all relevant or of interest (which it may or may not be), in my family an aunt died of ovarian cancer in the early 1990's, another aunt died of brain mets from bc in the 1960's, a cousin has had bc, my grandmother on the other side of the family had a mastectomy in the 1950's, my mother had a lumpectomy in the 1970's, and my older sister had a lumpectomy about a year before I was diagnosed in 2002. With the exception of the aunt with brain mets, none of my family except me (and the aunt with ovarian cancer who died) were ever treated with chemotherapy or anything but surgery and radiation. Despite none of those with bc having ever had chemo, only one recurred (the one with brain mets in the 1960's) and all lived on for decades, and those who died, died of other causes. Interestingly my older sister has not had a recurrence of her original bc despite not ever having chemotherapy, but was diagnosed this year with IBC. I am the only one who has tested positive for HER2 (+++), but then most of those in the family had bc before HER2 testing was done.

What I think is interesting also is that even though I have repeatedly mentioned the lack of recurrences in the family as being a scientific fact of interest that might be worth studying, thus far it has never been noted as part of my official record anywhere as being of any interest worth considering. Apparently families who have genetics that favor no recurrence are not relevant and only those that favor recurrence have relevance to science. (But then, those whose families tend not to have recurrence are not likely to need or spend money on chemotherapies.....!) I find this very puzzling. For all I know, the chemotherapy I had, or the 1 3/4 years of tamoxifen, may have helped in my situation. But again, other than the 2 days of the Arimidex, I have had no AI and no trastuzumab or lapatinib, and no taxane as part of my treatment.

I too have been tested for BRCA 1 and 2 and tested negative. I am in a clinical trial and being monitored for ovarian cancer with 6-month CA-125's and TVUS annually, and I have CA 15-3's done, all of which have stayed in normal range.

AlaskaAngel

05-30-2010, 09:37 AM	#10
AlaskaAngel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 2,018	Re: genetic differences may explain why some on AIs have worse joint point than other Becky I am sorry that you too have bc scattered among your relatives. In case it is at all relevant or of interest (which it may or may not be), in my family an aunt died of ovarian cancer in the early 1990's, another aunt died of brain mets from bc in the 1960's, a cousin has had bc, my grandmother on the other side of the family had a mastectomy in the 1950's, my mother had a lumpectomy in the 1970's, and my older sister had a lumpectomy about a year before I was diagnosed in 2002. With the exception of the aunt with brain mets, none of my family except me (and the aunt with ovarian cancer who died) were ever treated with chemotherapy or anything but surgery and radiation. Despite none of those with bc having ever had chemo, only one recurred (the one with brain mets in the 1960's) and all lived on for decades, and those who died, died of other causes. Interestingly my older sister has not had a recurrence of her original bc despite not ever having chemotherapy, but was diagnosed this year with IBC. I am the only one who has tested positive for HER2 (+++), but then most of those in the family had bc before HER2 testing was done. What I think is interesting also is that even though I have repeatedly mentioned the lack of recurrences in the family as being a scientific fact of interest that might be worth studying, thus far it has never been noted as part of my official record anywhere as being of any interest worth considering. Apparently families who have genetics that favor no recurrence are not relevant and only those that favor recurrence have relevance to science. (But then, those whose families tend not to have recurrence are not likely to need or spend money on chemotherapies.....!) I find this very puzzling. For all I know, the chemotherapy I had, or the 1 3/4 years of tamoxifen, may have helped in my situation. But again, other than the 2 days of the Arimidex, I have had no AI and no trastuzumab or lapatinib, and no taxane as part of my treatment. I too have been tested for BRCA 1 and 2 and tested negative. I am in a clinical trial and being monitored for ovarian cancer with 6-month CA-125's and TVUS annually, and I have CA 15-3's done, all of which have stayed in normal range. AlaskaAngel